Skip to main content

Impact and Evaluation

Introduction

Impact evaluation helps you tell the story of the difference you make in a way that’s compelling to others. It’s about understanding whether an activity, programme or project really makes a difference.

Impact evaluation helps you tell the story and makes a link between an “what you do” and “what happens” and “why that’s important”.

You will be able to answers questions including:

    • Who benefited?
    • How did they benefit (and by how much?)
    • What worked, what didn’t (and why?)
    • Did the program cause the change we observed, or would it have happened anyway?


And the big one:

  • So what?


It isn’t just what you do but also the difference you make and its effects on people’s lives or the environment.

Having a good approach to Impact evaluation will help you gather support (& funding) as well as learn and understand how you might make an even bigger difference.

Why It Matters

With good impact evaluation organisations can:

  • Learn what works and what doesn’t.
  • Use that learning to change what you do (to make a bigger difference)
  • Demonstrate the difference you make to funders, partners, and communities.
  • Stop doing things that don’t work and spend that energy trying new things or growing the things that make a difference.


It ensures that resources, your time, money, and effort make a real difference.

It helps you build support for your work.

Ingredients for Impact

Mission & Vision or Goal?

Mission & Vision or Goal?

Can you describe the change you want to see?

Having a simple paragraph that describes the difference you want to make, or what you want to change is an important first step.

If you can’t describe what you want to achieve (where you want to go), how will you get there?

Activity – carry out a web search for an organisations Vision or Mission statement– find one that appeals to you.

Theory of Change

Theory of change are a map. They map how your work will lead to the goal you have set yourself.

Theory of change explains how a program is expected to lead to its intended results.

The examples above are simplistic, life is often more complicated than this, but if you can map the most important parts of your issue and intervention out you will be on the right track.

A theory of change helps you pin down the change you want to make, link it to the things you do and offers a framework that helps you understand what information you’ll need to gather so you can confidently talk about the difference you want to make.

Activity – carry out a web image search for a theory of change – have a look at it and see how it connects the change you want to make and see with what you do -  find one that you like and store it for reference and discussion with others.

Atheory of change can help you design a set of questions to ask…

Numbers and Stories

Impact evaluation relies on quantitative data (numbers, statistics) and qualitative (stories, experiences), together they can powerfully demonstrate the difference you make.

Quantitative Data can be found in lots of places – it could be

  • local or national statistics that illustrate the problem you are working on
  • Counting who you work with (users or beneficiaries)
  • Counting what you do
  • Counting successes (your impact)


Example 1 — Participation & Reach Dashboard 

What it is — a simple one-page tracker (spreadsheet) showing who you reach and what you deliver.

How to run it

      • Columns: date, activity type, attendees (number), new participants, age bands, postcode or neighbourhood, immediate outcome (tick box).
      • Update: after each event/session. Visualise monthly totals with a basic bar chart.

Key indicator(s)

  • Total participants per month; % new participants; coverage by neighbourhood.


Quick tip — build the tracker in Excel or Google Sheets. Even a hand-drawn tally chart can work.

Numbers and Stories (2)

    When you are thinking about which numbers you are going to collect, its useful to ensure that you have found data that is:

      • Relevant: clearly linked to both your activities and goals.
      • Realistic: feasible to collect.
      • Reliable: consistently (and easily!) measured.


Example:


      • National & local data on youth unemployment (to demonstrate the need for the project)
      • Number of young people attending skills training courses. (to demonstrate reach & activities)
      • Number of Young people securing employment. (to demonstrate impact)


Qualitative data will probably come from the people who benefit from your activities, whose stories and words powerfully tell the story.

Taking a structured approach to gathering peoples stories will help you strengthen your case.


There are of course lots of questions you might ask, and you could of course ask them in lots of different ways – from surveys, meetings, one to one or in groups, in person or online…


You should consider asking questions about:


  • The situation they were in before they got your support?
  • Their description and experience of the support they received?
  • How your support has helped?
  • What the benefits are, what has changed or been gained?
  • What challenges, difficulties or barriers were experienced?
  • Any bigger differences people have seen in the community?
  • Whether they would you recommend the programme to others? (and Why?)
  • How things could be made (even) better?



Learning and Using Results

Evaluation isn’t just about numbers it’s about learning. Findings should be discussed openly with colleagues, your team, communities, and decision-makers.


    • What worked best, for whom, and under what conditions?
    • What should we do now?


Turning evidence into action is where impact evaluation becomes exciting.


Practical Steps to Get Started


    • Clarify goals and expected changes.
    • Map your theory of change.
    • Select key indicators.
    • Decide on a feasible comparison or reflection method.
    • Collect and analyse data.
    • Share and use results to adapt and improve.


Impact evaluation works best when treated as a journey—one that encourages reflection learning and improvement.


Final Thoughts


Impact evaluation is a mindset - be curious, test assumptions, and use evidence to make better decisions.


The goal is simple but powerful - to ensure that our efforts truly create the positive change we intend.


Think carefully about what you collect and how you collect it so that you don’t waste energy & effort.


Consider who you include - Could you involve the community and beneficiaries in defining success and collecting data?


Consider using mixed methods - blending approaches will make for richer insight & story telling.


Start small, use any existing records you might have and consider what else you could collect, evolve your approach as you build confidence and as your skills, confidence and resources grow.


Anyone can apply these principles.


You can do this work!